Chi F, Leider M, Leendertz FH, Bergmann C, Boesch C, Schenk S, Pauli G, Ellerbrok H, Hakenbeck R (2007): New Streptococcus pneumoniae Clones in Deceased Wild Chimpanzees
J. Bacteriol. 189 (16): 6085-6088, Epub Jun 22.

In wild chimpanzees in the Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, sudden deaths which were preceded by respiratory problems of the animals were observed since 1999. Two new clones of Streptococcus pneumoniae were identified in deceased apes on the basis of MLST analysis and ply, lytA and pbp2x sequences. The findings suggest that virulent S. pneumoniae occurs in populations of wild chimpanzees with the potential to cause infections similar to those observed in humans.